Hockey

Goal! You can see the puck above the goalie's head.


Wait for it, wait for it.....now!



I had so much fun at the first hockey game I had to go again! I took less pictures this time and watched more of the game. Experience teaches you how to do somethings better the second time around. I increased my ISO (400 to 640) for these shots and felt I was able to stop action better. One of my friends sat up higher in the stands to take some pictures. He did well, but could use a greater focal length lens. The 70-200mm f/2.8 lens didn't have the reach he needed. Here is the excuse I have needed to buy a Nikon 200-400mm f/4 lens. I could use it for wildlife and other sports as well. I wonder if my wife will go for it! Cross your fingers, toes, and eyes while I talk with her about it!
D200, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, manual setting, f/2.8, 1/320 sec., ISO 640, spot metering.

Face-off

At the beginning of the month, I attended my first hockey game. It was awesome! A couple of fights and lots of checking into the boards. Oh, it was great! I'll admit I jumped when a player was slammed right in front of me. The poor guy's face, flat against the glass, reminded me of a child pushing his/her face up against glass and making faces and blowing their cheeks out.
It is a difficult sport to photograph, as I found out, and those who do it well get my respect and admiration. Valarie, the Utah Grizzlies photographer, gave me the tickets and some tips. Understanding the game and anticipation of the action are key. A BIG thanks to her. At times I was so busy watching the game and trying to follow the puck that I forgot to photograph what I was watching. When I got the camera up to my eye the action was over or I had missed the best part. We live and learn don't we.
The reflections off the glass are a bit annoying. I could not use a CPL, it would take away to much light. I did not want to get my ISO up to high. I thought the pictures turned out okay for my first game. May-be I'll have better luck next time.
D200, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, f/2.8, 1/200 sec., ISO 400. Manual settings. Some levels correction.

Balloon Burst!

All the above pictures were shot with a D200, at f/2.8, 1/8000 sec., ISO 1600, spot metering, tripod and with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.



I dare you to shoot pictures like these! We had a fun day of shooting today. If you attempt this make sure you have enough light. Lots of light is the key. I believe we will try this again during the summer, outside with the noon day sun. Did I tell you, you need a ton of light! A camera with a high burst rate helps too.

"We" are: Paul my friend and his new Nikon D300s, my son and I. We set up in the garage with lights, cameras, water balloons, and two types of darts. A special thanks to my son who was sent in and out of the house several times to get all the little things we needed to pull off this shoot. He also blew and threw darts for us. Thanks bud!

The chance to shoot at 1/8000 of a second does not come along too often. I was afraid I would not be able to keep up with the D300s. In ISO capability I did not. My ISO 1600 did not hold a candle to that of the D300s. For this reason I remind you to have lots of light when attempting this type of picture. We finally open the garage door to flood the area with sunlight. Next time we will be completely outside. Also get a large bucket and fill it with water balloons so you don’t have to stop and fill balloons as often. I hope you enjoy the balloon bursting shots. We discussed some variations for the next time so it looks as though there will be more balloon bursting in the future.

I saved the best for last! The following pictures are from Paul. Shot with a Nikon D300s, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, seven frames per second burst rate, a tripod and a big smile! Enjoy the new camera Paul. Thanks, the pictures are awesome!

Engagement Pictures

My sister-in-law is getting married and I took engagement pictures for them. I must admit is was fun, but a lot harder than many of you make it look! My hat goes off to those of you who do this type of photography all the time. The thought of shooting a wedding scares me to death! The pressure! The mothers! The bride! The white dress! No thanks!

There are few enhancements to the photos, not a lot. I think when it warms up again, I will invite them out to do this again. I have set a goal for myself this year to photograph more people. I will be looking for volunteers, my children and spouse will only do so much!

I just finished a few more books by Bryan Peterson. Understanding Shutter Speed and Beyond Portraiture both are a good read and inspirational. Add them to your own library. I found the book on shutter speed to be more helpful, because I like shooting action. Please let me know if you have read any books about photography that you have found helpful. I could always learn more. Thanks for stopping by.

At The Car Wash

It was a nice day today, so I gave to truck a wash and turned it into a photo op! It's a good thing my ugly mug is blurred by the wet and soapy window! I was hoping for a brighter day, with blue sky. The whole day was overcast but I still got a few shots in.